The Malta Independent on Sunday
Birkirkara prevail in penalty shoot-out
Football - BOOST DIESEL FA Trophy semifinal
Birkirkara.
Their place in the final also guarantees the club European participation next season.
Sliema, record winners of this competition and finalists of the two previous seasons, failed to make it beyond the semi final this time, even if they were far superior in the first half yesterday and it was Temile’s effervescence which had most consistently illuminated the occasion.
For all their enthusiasm, the Wanderers were shocked by Birkirkara’s lead early at the start of the second half but still summoned their efforts to draw level.
The Stripes were consistently let down by disappointing lack of thrust. They huffed and puffed, without truly threatening, and after being caught up by Sliema’s equaliser, they managed to stretch them to penalties and eventually prevail.
Sliema had reached thus far after knocking out Hibernians in a penalty shoot-out in the previopus round. Birkirkara’s passage was far easier after beating Qrendi 3-0.
This game was perhaps the most important one of the season for both teams, trying to find solace for a rather underwhelming season.
The Wanderers were boosted by the return in attack of Jefferson De Assis, instead of Milinceanu, with Ricardo Correa playing in an advanced role as Adamovic and Biancardi formed the central back pair.
Without Vukanac, and Dimitrov named among the substitutes, Birkirkara had Lucas Maia and Fernando Barbosa playing at the back. They crowded the midfiled, with Waldemar Costa their most advanced player and Jack Grech roaming in space behind him.
Sliema had the possibility of settling nerves and forcing the opposition to chase the game early when, after only three minutes, from a Correa corner, Temile’s header was tipped over the bar into a corner by Birkirkara keeper Naumowski.
Then De Assis advanced from the left but his low shot was turned into another corner by Naumowski.
Sliema fluffed another chance before the quarter hour. Correa played a square pass to the totally unmarked Agius, who shot straight on the Birkirkara custodian from inside the area.
This reprieved, Birkirkara tried to create some chances of their own in a first half which saw Sliema do most of the attacking without quite making the final pass count.
On 36 minutes, Mintoff slipped, after putting himself in a one-onone situaton, and Rolovic could advance down the left. His effort was cleared by the Sliema defence though.
Before halftime, Mintoff limped off and was replaced by Sansone. Barbosa was involved in a tussle with De Assis and, as they both players chased the ball, the Birkirkara defender looked to have hit his opponent with an outstretched arm which earned him only a booking though.
Birkirkara found their stride at the start of the second half and managed to make the breakthrough after only four minutes.
Herrera went past Nii Nortey and crossed from the right for Orgjen Rolovic to volley the balll past the surprised Sliema keeper.
Sliema tried to regroup and it was a subdued response from the Wanderers until finding an equaliser just past the hour. Nii Nortey played a long pass forward and Frank Temile got the better of Maia’s poor defending to go past him and place the ball over keeper Naumowski.
De Assis might have made something from an unforced Naumowski error, who dropped the ball on a Temile corner, but instead missed the target from close range soon after.
Birkirkara sent on Srdjan Dimitrov for Rolovic to try to inject a little more urgency but only threatened again eight minutes from normal time with a Grech insidious free kick which was held out by the Sliema keeper, but still amounted to Birkirkara’s best attempt in the second half.
Extra time was considerably more even, with both sides showing signs of fatigue and creating very little. Sliema went close early with a Correa diagonal shot that narrowly missed the target. Birkirkara had a Dimitrov direct free kick rebounding off the underside of the bar before the end of the first half.
The afternoon did not get any better for those who came to be entertained, but at least we were regaled with some drama in the penalty shoot-out until Birkirkara emerged winners with the last kick.